Accelerating Blue Interregional Cooperation in the Mediterranean Basin. Sharing a common strategic vision, creating transferrable collaboration models

The Mediterranean seabasin is an area with a huge potential, given its 46.000km of coastline extension, its unique marine and fish resources and emerging opporunities in several blue economy sectors. Given the existing initiatives, opportunities and priorities to ensure a sustainable blue economy it’s crucial the cooperation among Mediterranean countries to boost sustainability and digitalisation, in particular with the involvement of blue economy clusters.

Throughout the morning session we will hear about the emerging clusters initiatives in the southern shore countries, and look at the various cooperation model and learn about direct experiences of clusters coming from northern and southern shore countries. In the afternoon actions towards digitalisation in the blue economy will be discussed, analysing best practice in Italy and in other European and non-European countries.

Programme

10.00-10.30 Registration

Session 1 – Internationalisation in the Mediterranrean seabasin

10.30-10.50 Welcome address
Mauro Battocchi, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (TBC)
Alessandra Sensi, UfM (TBC)
Representative of Cluster BIG (TBC)

10.50-11.20 Internationalisation in the Mediterranean: cooperation models in northern and southern shores towards sustainable blue economy
Leonardo Manzari, WestMED

11.20-11.50 Mapping cluster initiatives in the southern shore countries
Representative of Cluster BIG
Laurence Martin, FdM (TBC)

11.50-12.20 Piloting activities in the Southern shore: strengthening emerging maritime clusters ecosystem
Elizabeth Domínguez Chapman, Cluster Maritimo Andaluz
Nesrine Rekia Ziad, LEANCUBATOR Algeria
Hamadi Baba Hamadi, Cluster Maritime Mauritanien

12.20-12.40 Coffee break

12.40-13.10 Policy makers engagement  
A.Tiziana De Nittis, MASBBE Partnership Regione Emilia- Romagna 
Ezzedine Kacem, Cluster Maritime Tunisien-CMT
Fabrizio Monticelli, ForMare (TBC)

13.10-13.40 Panel discussion: Blue Economy priorities in northern and southern shore
Moderator: Roberto Cimino, Cluster BIG (TBC)
Participants: all clusters representatives

13.40-14.00 Wrap-up & Conclusions

14.00-15.00 Lunch break

Session 2 – Italian Ecosystem towards digitalisation in the blue economy: best practice sharing

15.00-15.20 Introduction by the Chair
Emilio Campana, Cluster BIG, CTS Coordinator

15.20-15.40 iNEST - Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem
Research and technological transfer activities in the sector of maritime, marine and inland water technologies. Development of a Digital Ocean of the North Adriatic area, integrating AI, ecosystem models and observed data.
Stefano Querin, OGS & Reaserch topic manager on Inest’s North Adriatic Digital Twin
Vittorio Bucci, University of Trieste & Research topic manager on Inest’s Sustainable waterway mobility

15.40-16.00 RAISE - Robotics and AI for Socio-economic Empowerment
Improve the strategy and methodologies of environmental monitoring and protection for the sea in the Ligurian territory. Innovative robotic systems managed by AI for marine monitoring, with increased mission range and better data quality (widespread, integrated and dynamic-adaptive monitoring)

On constructing an intelligent digital environment for ports and maritime transport
Davide Giglio, University of Genova & RAISE

Citizen science actions to empower ocean digitalization
Marco Faimali, CNR & RAISE
Antonio Novellino, ETT spa & RAISE

16.00-16.20 MOST - National Center for Sustainable Mobilty
Making the mobility system "greener" as a whole and more "digital" in its management. Electric and hydrogen propulsion solutions and systems. Digital systems and autonomous driving to reduce accidents; more effective solutions for public transport and port logistics; a new model of mobility, as a service, accessible and inclusive.
Daniele Filippone, Fincantieri (TBC)
Alessandro Iafrati, Director of INM-CNR & Spoke Coordinator (TBC)

16.20-16.50 Panel discussion – interaction with southern shore representatives on the topic
Moderator:
Emilio Campana, Cluster BIG (TBC)

Participants:
all north-south clusters and Italian ecosystems’ representatives

16.50-17.00 Wrap-up and conclusion